A-Z route to a successfulbus tour

Hannah StaceyJuly 2009

IntroductionRegional bus tours often form the basis of a consumer marketing campaign.

Specifically within the healthcare industry, bus tours are often included in communications programmes for a therapy area/charity Awareness Week as they provide the opportunity to raise public awareness of a particular condition.

Whilst bus tours may be considered relatively common practice, exceptional organisation and logistical management is required to ensure they are successful.

Athena’s experienceAthena recently worked on behalf of Lifeblood: The Thrombosis Charity to develop the programme of events for National Thrombosis Week 2009, the focus of which was to raise public awareness of hospital-acquired blood clots.

A five-city regional bus tour was undertaken, launching a new awareness campaign and patient leaflet. Cities visited included London, Cardiff, Harrogate, Manchester and Oxford.

Print and broadcast coverage of the week exceeded expectations, reaching an audience in excess of 20 million and included coverage in The Daily Mail, The Times and Radio 4’s Today programme.

Due to this year’s success, another bus tour has already been planned for National Thrombosis Week 2010 (4-8th May).

Use this A-Z guide to guarantee you follow the correct route to success!

…adapt

It is possible to adapt the interior layout of the bus to meet your specific requirements – whether that be open plan, private consultation areas, additional seating or an audio/visual zone

…change, adjust, modify,vary, revise, amend, rework

…briefings

Ensure that team briefings are held at the start of each day so that everyone has clearly defined roles and responsibilities – it may well be that these change throughout the tour depending on the days agenda

A B

…celebrity endorsement

Celebrity endorsement throughout the bus tour will attract the public and also help secure media coverage of the event

…bus driver

The bus driver plays a vital, yet often understated role in any bus tour. Don’t be afraid to use their experience as they can offer invaluable insight into different aspects of a bus tour

C D

Celebrity designer Linda Barkersupports Lifeblood

John Smith MP, Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary Thrombosis Group, poses as bus

driver

…experience

It is important to offer visitors to the bus an interesting experience, so think carefully about what will be on offer to them – leaflets, samples, private consultations, TV screens showing rolling informative films, refreshments…

…fun!

Whilst there is no doubt that bus tours are incredibly hard work, they also provide an excellent opportunity for some hands-on PR experience. However, most importantly, they can be great fun - and good to do something different from the usual 9-5!

E F

…on-the-go

During the bus tour you will constantly be on-the-go so make sure you have plenty of food and drink on the bus as the team may not always be able to take breaks/stop for lunch

…hotels

If arranging any accommodation, don’t forget to check whether the hotel has sufficient parking for the bus – most central hotels don’t offer big enough facilities so you may need to stay out-of-town

G H

…insurance

Ensure you have the appropriate level of insurance – locations may require different amounts of public liability cover. In addition, you may be asked to undertake risk-assessments

…journalists

Inform journalists of your bus tour well in advance so they can plan their attendance. In addition, ensure press materials are tailored for each specific region with local spokespeople

I J

…knowledge

Ensure that all team members have the appropriate level of therapy area knowledge required to accurately communicate with members of the public

…information, facts, data, familiarity, understanding, comprehension, expertise,

wisdom

…locations

Choose the bus locations carefully and where possible undertake a site visit – the bus needs to be parked in a prominent position where there is a high volume of pedestrian footfall

K L

…materials

Keep track of your materials on a daily basis - this way if you are distributing more than you have catered for, you can arrange for extras to be sent before you run out!

…networking

Make the most of the opportunity of being on tour by networking and developing relationships with key media and potential spokespeople across the UK

M N

Media doctor Dr Sarah Jarvissupports Lifeblood

…organisation

A successful bus tour requires exceptional organisation and logistical management – ensure that you have all the relevant contact details/itinerary with you on-the-road and not back in the office!

…prepared, planned, ordered,methodical, well thought-out,

managed, process

…publicity

Generate publicity in advance of the tour so that people are anticipating the arrival of the bus and are eager to learn more

O P

…quintessentially English

There are fewer more iconic images than that of the quintessentially English, London Routemaster bus - which in itself is guaranteed to attract members of the public

…regional differences

Consider regional differences to identify which areas would benefit most from your particular awareness drive – a bus tour raising awareness of heart health may spend more time in the North of England as CV disease is more prevalent here

Q R

…speed

The maximum speed of the bus is 40mph so be sure to factor in sufficient travel time – the general rule of thumb is 2x as long as AA Routemaster!

…thanks

Be sure to pass on your thanks to all those involved in your bus tour - if it has been successful, it may become a regular event and these relationships will be invaluable in the future

S T

Linda Barker thanking Lifeblood ambassador Barbara Clark

…upstairs

Don’t forget the upstairs of the bus – the top deck can be used as storage or provide a quieter area for private consultations if required

…volunteers

Ensure you have plenty of support from volunteers throughout your bus tour – you can never have too many pairs of hands!

U V

…weather

Given the unpredictability of the Great British weather ensure you are prepared for all eventualities – a small marquee erected outside the bus entrance will provide sufficient shelter from the elements!

…going the eXtra mile

Whilst it may be a cliché, the additional time and effort invested in going the eXtra mile will help ensure your bus tour is a successful and rewarding experience

W X

…YouGov

YouGov surveys are a good way to evaluate the impact of your bus tour on awareness of the charity/condition you have been promoting

…research, study, investigate, examine, explore, look into,

evaluate, analyse

…zzzz!

Whilst rewarding, being on tour is very tiring and there is no doubt that by the end of it you will need plenty of zzzz to recover!

Y Z

Athena’s experienceProfessor Beverley Hunt, Medical Director of Lifeblood, says “the exceptional organisation and hard work by Athena resulted in an extremely successful National Thrombosis Week 2009,and we look forward to making next years event even bigger and better!”

We hope that this resource points you in the right direction to ensure you follow the correct route to a successful bus tour. Please let us know which tips guide you most effectively!

A-Z route to a successfulbus tour

Hannah StaceyJuly 2009

For further information on this, or any other healthcare communications programme, please contact James Harper on james@athenamedcomms.com